Work to Do – Arnel Aquino, SJ

In Loyola School of Theology, I teachacourse calledIntroduction to Sacramental Theology. Werecentlyfinished our lesson on the Eucharist. But something’s still stuck in my head about the Last Supper, that last “Eucharistic celebration” Jesus had with his friendsthe nightbefore he died.Did you notice that in the Last Supper, Jesusgave communion to Peterand Judas? Even when he knewthat Peter would be denying him— and three times—and that Judas had stolen from their petty cash and worse,soldout Jesusand wasaboutto turn himin(!), he still gave them his body & blood to eat and drink “in remembrance of me.”Ever think about that?That’s still stuck in my head, thatJesusmust havealready forgivenhis good-for-nothing friendsonthenight he was betrayed, and given them communion even before they consummated their offenses.Itonly proves again what I’ve alwayspersonallyexperienced about our God:nalagingnauunaangDiyos.Siyaangnaunangmagmahal.Siyaangnaunangmagbiyaya. Atsiyaangnauunangmagpatawad. Before we learn to love God, healready is loving us.Before we could ask himorthank him, heis already giving us more than we need.Andmost of all,before we couldget ourselves toapologize toGod,ourvery desire to ask for forgiveness,thatis already a sign that God’s forgivenessisalready being given. Jesus gave communion to Peter and Judas even before the two of them consummated their denial and betrayal of the Lord.NaunananamanangPanginoon!

But…just because Jesus offered them his body and blood as the sign of hisforgiveness,still,thatdid notmeanthat Peter and Judasno longer had work to do,especially,in themselves.The forgivenPeter—hewould still have to grapple with why hewould sayonegutsything (“I will protect you, Lord, and die with you”)and end up doing just thespinelessopposite(“I do not know that man!”)The forgiven Judas—hewould still have tocontendwith why hejust had tohavemoneyall the time,suchthat he’d steal from his friends,and asifthat weren’t enough,sellhis Masterfor 30 silver pieces (US$600 today or P31,374 pesos).And grapple, Peter did. “He went out and wept bitterly.”And grapple Judas did,hepaidwith his life.

You and I grew up being taught that Lent is a time to think of our sins,be sorry for our sins,repentoverour sins. And that is true. Butlet’s notfail tosee,even during Lent, thatwe are surrounded by many proofs that God hasalready forgiven us—based on the blessings we still enjoy inspite of ourselves, in spite of ourconstant selfishness, lustfulness, dishonesty, etc.Even during Lent, we must continue to see howforgiveness, how pardon,is the“divine default.”NauunaparatiangDiyos. Like a good parent, the default-disposition of God is to love and to forgive.That’s his default-disposition.Bagopamagkasalaanganak,angmabutingmagulang,bukasnabukasnaparapatawarinanganak. Atkapagnagkasalanangaanganak, default-dispositionparinngmabutingmagulangangmagpatawad.So, just like Jesus had already forgiven Peter and Judaseven before they could do the first thing to repent,so, too,God constantly seesyou and meunder the light of forgiveness beforeand while we fail him. But…but…

…Thisdoes notmean that we no longer have work to do, does it?In ourselves.Because in spite of being blessed, we’re stillcovetous, we want moreeven if we already have plenty,and we want to get moreregardless of how. In spite of being trusted, westeal, we lie, we take advantage. In spite ofour God-givenintelligence, we plagiarize, and some of us are even proud of getting away with it. In spite of being blest with friends,weband togetherand gossip and alienate. In spite of aspouse and children who loveusto death, wedelight in affairs.In other words, we’repractically swimming ina sea ofGod’s continuous pardon, sisters and brothers. But at the same, wereallyhave work to do in ourselves, don’t we?

And Lent is a good time for this “work to do in ourselves.” The difference that I wish to share with you this Lent, however,is something like this: that we look at our failures and work on them from a place ofgratitude, notfrom a placeof hopelessness, notfromfear of punishment, notfrom underthe threatof hell.No. Fromgratitude.Dahilnauunaparatiang Diyos umibigatmagpatawad, you and I have work to do. So, may the cross of ash on our foreheadstodaynot onlysay, “My God,I am a sinner.”Let it also, and more so,say, “My God, thank you. But we have work to do.”